Thursday, March 15, 2007, 9:15 a.m., D.S.T., Nashville, Tennessee~

Dear Kendra Mae Kent~

I have heard a lot about you, thanks to my good friend, Louisiana Sandusky, whom I know you have met. She talks an awful lot about you and your family. She has been a huge blessing in my life; if it were not for her, I wouldn't be where I am at now!

I am afraid I'm not much in "the God thing". I or my fiance', Frank Hammer, aren't that religious. We've never been. Personally, to be honest with you, I find it hard to find hope in God because I've had so much shit happen to me this past year and a half or so. I lost my home (and my possessions) in New Orleans due to the bitch Katrina, my parents, and my livlihood. I am plagued with horrific flashbacks, and now, to add insult to injury, I became paralyzed from the waist down in July '06 when I was hit by a drunk driver; so now I have that to deal with. I haven't been feeling very well, and I'm in a wheelchair, too, just like you.

Life is finally starting to turn around: I met a wonderful man named Frank Hammer; he'd hired me to work at his HUMMER dealership when I'd relocated to Tennessee. Once he and I got to know each other, we fell in love. We're engaged to be married; the wedding is in May, aboard a cruise ship to Alaska.

I'm looking forward to being Mrs. Kat Hammer, but to tell you the truth, I'm getting nervous! LOL We are moving to Alaska; this will be a very big change for me.

I mentioned my parents died in Katrina. I'm still grieving. I don't think I'll ever get over it. I suffer from PTSD and have been going to therapy. I hope it  helps. (We'll see.)

Wow, all those children! If it were not for people like yourself or Louisiana Sandusky, and others, these kids would not have a chance. Twenty girls and one boy?? Poor kid is overwhelmed with female influence! LOL I can't imagine having that many kids; one would drive me insane! LOL I'm afraid I'm not too comfortable around children.

I am happy you took in one of Katrina's kids. Tyler sounds like a special little boy!

I don't know how I'll be in Alaska. My Cajun/Creole blood freezes at the thought of cold weather. If it gets below 80 degrees, I'm reachin' for a sweater! LOL

I'm an onlly child: African-American, Creole, and Cajun French (what a combo! LOL). I had a very happy childhood; I had a very happy life, until that bitch Katrina tried to wipe me off the face off the Earth! Just now am beginning to embrace life again, but still harbor a lot of animocity inside over what happened to me. If it were not for caring people like Frank or Louie, I'd have commited suicide a long time ago.

Kendra, how do you handle life's challenges? I know you have spinna biffida (excuse the spelling; those medical terms throw me stupid!) and are in a chair. I'm sure you've had plenty of bad shit go on in your world. I've taken to writing about my traumas (at the insistance of my therapist and Louie); maybe down the road there'll be a book. It helps some, but the G.D. flashbacks are about to do me in!

If it were not for that, I'd be a whooooooooooooole lot better off!

Well, Kendra, I'll sign off for now. I've jawed on long enough. Take care, write back when you can; don't get much in the way of mail (excepting for BILLS!).

~Sincerely, Katrina ("call me 'Kat'") Ann Delchamps (pronounced "Dell-shawm"; it's French). :)